


Everything You Are

by aesthetixoxo



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: F/F, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-09
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-07-22 11:33:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7436122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aesthetixoxo/pseuds/aesthetixoxo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Riley meets Maya Hart, of her favorite band "Hart to Hart", on the subway. Sometimes, not everything is as it seems.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. On The Way Home

Riley leans her head against the wall, closing her eyes as she pays attention to the bump, bump of the subway cart. She knew she shouldn't have moved so far from her parents. Now it took nearly two hours to get to their place, and she still had over an hour until the stop at station A. 

Luckily she had just bought the new Hart To Hart album and could listen to it on the ride home. Still, the ride was always lonely, especially at this time of night, but she had a late class. She feels the cart lurch to a stop and she can hear the sound of footsteps, people getting off and getting on, over the sound of her music.

Suddenly there's a tap on her should and Riley takes one of her headphones out, looking up to meet eyes with the stranger. "Is this seat taken?"

Except, she knows this stranger. Not personally, but she knew her enough. Riley shakes her head no and the blonde smiles, sitting next to her. 

"I'm Maya." She says, and Riley wonders if she's trying to be ironic or if she genuinely believes Riley doesn't know who she is.

"Maya Hart, I know." Riley says, taking her other headphone out and sitting up straighter, turning to Maya. "I'm Riley. And I was just listening to your album."

"Oh yeah? Which one, Ordinary Girl or Hope Is For Suckers?"

"The new one," Riley says, wondering if it would be overstepping her boundaries to ask about it. She had had the chance to listen to it more than a couple times, and she wants to know so many things. "It's really... hostile. Like the person in the songs is losing themselves, but nobody seems to notice."

"There are a lot of things the fans don't notice." Maya says, unzipping the backpack she had brought with her. She pulls out two blankets, both leopard print, and hands one to Riley, who takes it with a confused look. "I don't always like to travel by tour bus. It's not like I'm some A-list celebrity who is always being mobbed by fans. I was surprised you even knew who I was."

Riley's not sure how to feel. Maya seems so different from the Maya Hart she knows from interviews. "Let's just say you've helped me through a lot of things." 

"What type of things?" Maya asks, looking at her like she actually cares. Riley realizes that maybe she created a person in her head who wasn't real at all. Riley shrugs, not knowing if she should continue. She felt a lot of uncertainty lately. 

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. But I'm not going to judge you."

Riley's chest suddenly hurts, hurts as much as it did that night, and she bites her lip, trying to figure out her words carefully.

"My boyfriend and I broke up." She finally says, her voice small. "Which happens, I know, and I was sad at first." She has to breath between every few words. She's not even sure if Maya can understand what she's saying, but at least she has someone to tell this to. She's not sure her parents would understand. Or maybe they would, but either way, they're not who she wanted to talk to. Not about this.

"And I didn't even know why I did it, it just felt like the right thing to do. But it hung over me for weeks." She studies Maya's face for a moment before continuing. "We weren't right for each other, but we should have been. We should have been." Suddenly her eyes are hot and she looks away from Maya, swallowing hard.

"But we weren't. Because I like girls." Her hands tighten on the seat beneath her. She hadn't said those words to anyone that wasn't some anonymous stranger on the Internet. She knew it was okay to feel this way, but she felt... guilty for some reason. "I like girls, but I also like boys, and I'm just really confused." 

That didn't even explain the half of her feelings, but it's the best she could do. She looks down, the water droplets staining her pants a darker black than they already were. She feels Maya's arms around her and she feels... warm. And safe. 

Finally Maya pulls away and lifts Riley's head with one finger under her chin. Their eyes meet and Maya smiles. "It's okay to be confused. I'm confused a lot, too."

"Really? How?" Riley asks, tilting her head to the side.

Maya debates if she should say anything. She didn't want her personal information to just get out and not be personal anymore. Finally she decides she can trust Riley. "A lot of ways." Maya sighs, bring her knees up to her chest and pulling the blanket tighter around her.

"My dad left me when I was young. And I had learned a long time ago not to let it affect me. But then..." Maya leans her chin on her knees, chewing her lips. "Then Mason left the band, and my best friend left me, and it seemed like everybody started leaving." 

There's a comfortable quiet for a while.

"I'll never leave." Riley promises, taking hold of Maya's hand. There's a connection between them that Riley can't describe, but her ears are burning.

"That's sweet," Maya sighs, squeezing Riley's hand. "But you don't even know me. I wouldn't be making promises you can't keep."

"I don't know you personally," Riley agrees, "but I know you enough. I know you're the type of person who keeps her feelings locked away when you don't want to hurt other people. And you're the type of person who is willing to listen to strangers problems on a subway. Your the type of person who gives her fans blankets and cups of hot chocolate after concerts when it's snowing outside."

Maya doesn't know what to say. Maybe some people do pay attention after all.

It isn't too long before they finally end up in New York City, and Riley stands up, picking up her own back pack and handing the blanket to Maya. "This is my stop."

Maya stands up and slings her own backpack over her shoulder. "Mine too. Keep it."

Riley nods and gets off onto the platform. She wonders where all these people are going, and if any of them are as lost as she is. 

"Hey, you live around here?" Riley hears from behind her. She turns to Maya.

"Yeah."

"I'll be here for a few days." Maya says hesitantly. "I'm staying at the Sheraton. Ask for Dixie Piper." 

And then Riley watches Maya leave, and for the first time in he longest time, she doesn't feel so lost or alone anymore.


	2. The Life Of Riley Matthews

Riley sets her backpack down, trying to be as quiet as possible. It was later than expected and everyone had already gone to sleep. Riley notices her brother, now twelve years old, on the couch, fast asleep, his eyes fluttering as he dreams. Riley smiles fondly and Ruffles his curls as she walks past him and into the kitchen, where there's a plate of food and a note on the table.

Welcome home sweetie, we'll see you in the morning. Enjoy your dinner. 

Riley pours herself a glass of cold water and sits at the counter. Her food is still warm and it tastes better than what she had been eating for the past few weeks. When she finishes her food, she take the opportunity to look around the room and soak in the familiarity. 

Her and her brother's finger paintings and good grades still hung on the fridge, along with take out menus and maps and other miscellaneous papers. They had gotten new curtains, Riley observed, which were nice. And they had hung a new painting by the front door. But it was still home.

She puts her plate in the sink and then hops in the shower, opting to use her mothers strawberry shampoo and body wash instead of her own, since it was still in her bag. She wraps a towel around herself, drying off, then pulls on at t-shirt and some shorts.

The hard part was coming back to her room. It was still the same as when she left. There was purple everywhere; the walls were purple, her sheets were purple, even the picture frames on her old desk were purple. 

She picks up one of the, a framed picture of her and Farkle. They hadn't talked in a while, since Farkle moved to Massachusetts to go to MIT. 

Besides everything being purple, there were other things that remained the same; her favorite stuffed animal was sitting in her bed. She still had Monet's Water Lilies hanging up on the wall. And her bulletin board and her calendar up above her desk still marked dates and events that has long passed. Her room was the same, but she wasn't. 

Riley crawls into bed and snuggles deep, breathing in the scent of fabric softener she used to love. She also has Maya's blanket, and for some reason that makes her home feel even safer. And then she's off to sleep.

\---

Riley wakes up to sunshine and the smell of waffles and sausage and eggs. She slips into a white tee shirt and black jeans, slipping a chevron black and white jacket over her arms, then heads downstairs, where a waffle and yogurt are waiting for her at her spot. Her spot.

"Good morning, it's a good day today," Riley says, feeling a lot better than she had last night.

"Somebody slept well, I supposed?" Topanga asks with a smile and Riley shrugs.

"Well enough."

"What are your plans for today?" Cory asks, shoveling a bite of eggs and toast into his mouth.

"Well, I wanted to go see a friend this morning, but other than that, I'm all yours today," Riley says, taking a but of her waffle. It's warm and the syrup is bursting in her mouth. Fresh homemade cooking was even better than she had remembered.

"I have to go into the office for a few hours, so I can drop you off." Topanga offers, and Riley nods, giving her mom a thumbs up through a mouthful of food.

"Looks like it's just us then, Auggie," Cory says when Topanga and Riley finally leave.

\---

"A hotel?" Topanga asks, looking up at the building in front of her. "Your friend is staying in a hotel?"

Riley chews in the inside of her cheek, wondering if she should tell her mother. She knows she wouldn't care, wouldn't pry for any answers he knew Riley couldn't or wouldn't give, but she wanted to keep Maya, and subsequently her conversation with Maya, her little secret, for as long as she had to.

"It's a long story." Riley settles and enters the big double doors.

\---

Riley takes a deep breath, rapping her knuckles against the door. She had done as Maya had told her too and they gave her Maya's room number and now here she was. The door opens, revealing a messy-haired blonde in nothing but a tee shirt. Her long, pale legs are a stark contrast against the gray tee shirt and... Riley realizes where she's looking and quickly looks back up, into Maya's eyes

"You're here rathe early," Maya rubs her eyes and let's out a yawn, opening the door wider to let Riley in. Riley laughs and shrugs.

"What can I say?" Riley sits in the edge of the hotel bed, Maya sitting beside her, legs criss-cross. "My family's motto is if the sun is up then I'm up."

Maya groans, falling back on to the bed. "You're one of those people. Well, at least we can order room service." Maya takes the phone off of the holder and dials the number, then starts ordering breakfast.

"I already ate," Riley informs when Maya asks what she wants. At Maya's stern look, she rolls her eyes. "Fine, just get me some fruit."

Maya nods, finishes up, then hangs up the phone. 

Neither say a word. Riley watches the news headlines flick past on the muted TV, then looks at Maya, sucking her lips into her mouth. Maya raises an eyebrow and Riley lifts her shoulder in a shrug.

"Is there something you wanna say?" Maya asks, sitting up on one arm. 

"Not particularly, no."

"Hmm," Maya answers in returns, but before either can continue, there's a knock.

Maya has ordered chocolate chip pancakes, covered in glistening syrup, and even though Riley already ate, she looks at them hungrily. Then she sees the fruit plate that she had gotten and her eyes widen. It's arranged like a rainbow, strawberries and blueberries and grapes and pineapple.

"Is this what it's like to be famous?" Riley asks, plucking up a fresh strawberry and biting into it.

"Rich," Maya corrects, cutting a piece of pancake and closing her eyes as she bites into it. "I try not to throw my money around. I grew up without it and I still can, but the Sheraton has the best chocolate chip pancakes, so I just... had to."

"My mom is a great cook, she makes amazing waffles." Riley says, popping a piece of pineapple into her mouth. 

"Then I'll have breakfast at your place tomorrow," Maya states and Riley raises an eyebrow.

"You wanna see me again?"

"Only if you wanna see me again." Maya says, finishing her food and throwing the trash into the can. She uses her fork to stab a grape and bites into it, juice squirting Riley in the face. Maya presses her teeth together. "Whoops."

Riley glares at her playfully, then a lightbulb goes off. She grabs a grape herself and throws it at Maya. And suddenly a food fight ensued. Maya is throwing grapes and strawberries and Riley is throwing blueberries and there's pineapple all over the floor. And then they're on the floor, laughing.

Riley looks up at Maya and she feels her heart flutter. She's never had a friend like this, before, and she wonders what, exactly, Maya's intentions are. She's only there for a few days and then she'd be gone and would they still talk, or would Riley be just another fan. She tries not to worry about that as they clean up the fruit on the floor.

"So what are we doing today?"

"What, you don't have any plans, Miss Rockstar?" Riley pokes Maya in the side, and Maya giggles.

"Stop. And no. Well, I have a couple interviews, but those aren't for hours."

Riley laces her fingers together, leaning back against the wall. "Well, what do you want to do?"

"I wanna see what it's like in the life of Riley..." Maya trails off, looking expectant.

"Matthews." 

"I wanna see what it's like in the life of Riley Matthews," Maya says firmly and nods her head once.

"There's not much to it," Riley laughs dryly.

"Indulge me."

\---

Maya stares at the blank canvas in front of her. "Finger-painting?" 

Riley's cheeks warm up ever so slightly. "I know, it's lame, but I've never been good at using brushes. Plus, nobody is ever really good at finger-painting."

Maya, noticing the other girl's self-consciousness, places her hand gently on Riley's leg. "It's cute," she assures her, and Riley nods with a smile.

They talk as they paint, telling each other about what they did when they were young.

"I was never really good at anything," Riley sighs, dragging her yellow finger across the page. "Cheerleading, art, dancing, even academics. But I was good at being a friend, and I count that for something."

"Friends are important." Maya agrees.

"I had this friend, Farkle. Well, we're still friends, but we don't talk as much." Riley mixes blue onto the page, and then blue.

Maya is still staring at her canvas. She can't decide what to draw. She listens to Riley ramble, hoping for inspiration, then looks around the room. It was a small room, not like an art studio, more like a hobby area, but it was interesting, nonetheless. She starts with a greyish color, carefully moving her hands over the canvas.

"I never had many friends growing up," Maya says, biting her lip and furrowing her eyebrows. "Not that I was close to, anyways. And then I grew up a little bit and met this guy, Zay, who could play drums like nobody's business, and Mason, who played guitar until he left, and we replaced him with Isadora."

Riley nods in all the right places and "hms" when she wants to acknowledge what Maya is saying, and she gets along with the band, but something about Riley makes her feel more comfortable. They keep talking until they finish painting, and then they trade stools.

In front of Riley she sees a subway on half the page, dark and gray and depressing. But on the other half, is them stepping off the subway, into the sunshiny blue sky. Riley smiles.

Maya's mouth parts slightly, her hands reaching out to trace the arc of the rainbow, which is constructed of pineapples and grapes and strawberries and blueberries. And Maya smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like this trope and I especially enjoy writing Riley and Maya. I'm glad there were some people that liked it, so I will be continuing this as a series, not just for them but for myself :)!


	3. Interview Of The Hart

Riley settles into the couch, turning the TV in and flicking the channels until she lands on channel 9. Her dad and Auggie had just went to the batting cages and she promised she'd be there right after she watched the Hart To Hart interview. 

Auggie loved sports just as much as any other teenage boy, but he had preference to baseball and soccer, much to Riley's disappointment. She had hoped he would develop her love for basketball, but at least he didn't choose football. It was her least favorite sport; there wasn't much action, it was a very slow places game, and she didn't understand it very well, anyways.

The commercial ends, opening up to a pretty black woman in a professional-looking, blue and white dress. She flashes the camera her whitest smile and then launching a into a speech about Hart to Hart, starting from their roots, then to their first tour and album, and then, finally, introducing the band themselves and sitting down for the actual interview.

"So," the lady says, leaning in as if she had a secret to tell. These interviews were always a little over the top, Riley thought, but then, she understood, it made for good entertainment. "It's been almost six months since Mason left the band and you replaced him with Miss Isadora Smackle. How are you enjoying playing with these guys?"

Isadora, who Riley knew preferred to go by Smackle, gave a tiny smile. "I enjoy playing with Maya and Isaiah very much. They have become like family to me."

Smackle was awkward and a little unsure, Riley noted. But she knew she wouldn't have done any better being in front of a live, national audience.

"So they have," the interviewer says, turning to Maya. "And miss Hart, we hear you wrote a lot of songs on this new album. Tell us about that, what was the process like?"

Maya nods, pretending like she's hanging on he interviewers every word. She could go in to acting if music hadn't worked out, Riley thought with a laugh.

"Yeah, the first album we were just starting out, and Mason was like the main writer." Maya says, "Mason and I met in New York and we just really hit it off, but then we went to California, like most people who have dreams of making it big, and we were playing a bunch of different gigs, small things, and we felt like something was miss."

Maya looked at Zay, and the two shared a heartfelt moment before Maya continued. "We were like, we need a drummer. So we were gonna hold an audition, but Zay came up to us while we were out and was like, hey I know you, I heard you at The Crystal Cafe, I love your sound. And he said he'd love to play with us some time, and the rest is history."

Maya laughs, realizing she hasn't even answered the question. "Sorry, anyways, obviously Mason wasn't here to help write, so I kind of though, hey, I can try this, it can't be too hard. And it wasn't, you just take from experiences, whether they're your own or someone else's, and you out them to music."

The interviewer seems pleased. Maya was a natural interviewer, Riley could tell. That's why Hart To Hart concerts always got rave reviews, even if she had never been one to herself. Even through videos on YouTube, she always seemed so personable. Except, know one knew the real Maya. But after meeting her and even just after this interview, Riley wanted to know her even better. 

They continue with questions about the tour ("I don't wanna give too much away," Maya says, voice getting slightly quieter, "but there may be pyrotechnics involved!), their love lives (all single, all looking to mingle), and the next album ("We aren't even finished dealing with our second one!" Zay says, mock exasperation) before wrapping up the interview and Riley heads to the batting cages.

\---

"Okay, elbows like this," Cory demonstrates, pretending to throw an imaginary baseball bat, "and then follow through." 

Riley had decided to pitch to Auggie while he swung, but she wasn't very good at it. Sports just weren't her thing, but she liked them, as much as she sucks.

Riley tosses the ball up slightly with one hand, catching it each time it comes down, for a total of three times, the pulls her arm back, aims, and flings it as hard as she can. It curves and hits the wall and Riley grimaces, "Sorry..."

Auggie throw the bat down, rolling his eyes. "Okay, I know dad isn't much better than you, but I think I'd better luck hitting his slow balls."

 

Cory pretends to be offended and Riley laughs, taking a seat on the bench. After a few minutes Cory joins her, and they watch Auggie and two other boys throw around the baseball.

"So," Cory finally says, "who is this friend of yours? Your mom tells me she was staying at a hotel?"

Riley chews on her cheek for a moment. "You know that band I like, Hart to Hart?" Riley waits for Cory to nod, then continues, "Well the lead singer is named Maya. And I met her on the subway."

Cory nods, wrapping an arm around his daughter, 

"I really like her," Riley says, then adds, "she seems like a good friend." Which wasn't a lie, she did like Maya. And Maya did seem like a good friend. But maybe there was something more to it. 

"Well I'm glad you've found a good friend." 

Riley gives her dad a thin smile.

\---

The next morning there's a knock at the door, and Riley yells to her parents that she'll get it. She trudges to the door, opening it through bleary eyes. It takes a moment to register, but standing right in front of her is Maya Hart.


	4. Should I Stay (Or Should I Go)?

"I did say I'd come over for breakfast."

"I thought you were joking," Riley brings the spoon to her mouth, pauses, "How did you find me, anyways?"

"Smackle is a genius. Like, certified and everything." Maya says, taking a bite of her own cereal. If Riley had known she was being serious about coming over for breakfast, she would've taken the time to prepare something slightly more... lavish. "She probably could've found you with just your first name and your picture."

"But unfortunately, you have no pictures of me."

"Yeah I do," Maya says, taking out her phone. She taps a few buttons and does some scrolling, then shows the screen to Riley. Maya had taken multiple pictures throughout the day yesterday, including ones of Riley covered in finger paint. Riley blushes and goes back to eating her breakfast.

"So what are we doing today?" Riley finally asks when they finish, putting both of their bowls in the sink.

"I actually wanted to talk to you," Maya says, glancing at Riley's family, who is sitting on the couch, paying no mind to them. But they were still there. she pointedly adds, "Alone."

"Oh, okay," Riley leads Maya up to her room. and they sit by the window. Riley observes the scenery outside with a dreamy expression. This had been one of her biggest dreams growing up; to have someone sit with her by the bay window and talk, at all hours of the day and night. 

Sure, Farkle was always there for her, but she couldn't exactly talk to him about... girl things. And her mother was probably the best mother ever, but a best friend was different. A best friend was someone like Maya. 

"What are you planning to do after college?" Maya finally asks, and Riley's lips stretch into an amused smile.

"Is that all you wanna talk about? Although I guess being a national superstar would prevent you from be able to do some pretty mundane things..." Riley trails off. There's a look in Maya's eye that says there's more to this. "I'm not quite sure yet, I took a year off and now I'm in my first year, just taking some basic courses."

"Can you sing?" Maya asks, narrowing her eyes.

"I'd like to think so."

Maya's face scrunched up, and she thinks hard for a moment. Riley is trying to figure out what Maya's thought process could possibly be, but she's at a loss, so she waits. Finally, "You should come on tour with us."

"Me? With Hart To Hart? Why?" Riley questions, standing up quickly.

"Because, we could really use someone like you." Maya says, following Riley's actions. Riley starts pacing. Maya didn't think it would be as big of a deal as Riley was making it. Then again, Maya had been so used to doing spontaneous and sometimes even dangerous things; that's just who she was.

"What do you mean someone like me?" Riley finally stops pacing and sits on the edge of her bed, and Maya takes a seat beside her, taking her hand. "As far as I know, the only thing I am-" Riley's eyes lock with Maya's, a fixed expression on both of their faces. "Is weird." 

"I don't think you're weird," Maya says, biting her lips. She opens Riley's hand, holding her own against it as if to compare sizes. "I think you're... Unique."

"Thats just a nice way of saying weird," Riley says, her voice soft, almost breakable.

"Okay, maybe you are weird." Maya shrugs. "What's so wrong with that?"

Riley thinks for a minute, taking her hand away from Maya. She laces her fingers together, looking straight ahead. "No one likes people who are weird."

"I like you."

Riley head turns to look at Maya, her whole body turning with her. And that's why she couldn't possibly go with Maya, she thinks, but she doesn't say that allowed. She wonders if Maya knows, if that's why she's asking her to come along with them. The band was great already, they didn't really need anything else to make it special or amazing.

"But it doesn't matter if you like me, cause the rest of the world won't."

"Does it really matter what the rest of the world thinks?" This time Maya is the one to stand up. Maya sighs, glancing around Riley's room. Her eyes land on a picture that's hanging on the wall, and she goes over to it, her fingers tracing the slender frame.

"Does he like you?"

"That's Farkle," Riley says, her face instantly happier. "And he loves me."

"And that's your family." Maya says, going to another picture hanging beside it. "Do they like you?"

"They love me too," Riley says, seeing where Maya is going with it.

"And this is you," Maya says, taking the picture off the wall. "Do you like you?"

"Not always." Riley hesitates.

"Well you should." Maya takes a moment to look at the picture, then hangs it back up. She looks at the array of pictures against the wall, then at the picture on Riley's desk, and finally at the paints in the other side of the room. "Because you're one of the nicest people that I've ever met. You actually care."

Riley watches as Maya moves around her room; normally she'd be annoyed with someone she just met prying into her life like this, and she kind of was, but not for common reasons. She was annoyed because Maya was right, and Riley hated to be proven wrong.

"Even if it doesn't matter what other people think," Riley starts, "I still paid to go to school. And my family is here, anyways."

"You only paid for the first semester, right?" Maya reasons and Riley nods. "And your family will be here when you get back."

Riley gives her a hard look, then sighs. "Let me think about it. I have to go back tonight, but I'll give you my number." 

"I'll text you later." Riley promises, as Maya leaves. 

\---

It's almost 11:00 when she gets back to the dorm rooms. She sets her stuff down, careful not to wake her sleeping room mate. She sits on her bed, noting the unfamiliarity of it all. She had been here for a few months, but she had barely talked to her room mate, and her side of the room still looked almost identical to the way it was when she moved in.

Her phone buzzes, breaking her away from her train of thoughts. 'It's 11:11' the first text reads, then 'Can you guess what I wished for?' Riley s,lies, because she can, then frowns, because she still doesn't know, and Maya will be leaving soon.

'Yes' Riley texts back.

'Is that your answer to both of my questions?'

'No...' Riley texts after contemplation, sighing, throwing both herself and her phone back onto the bed. 

'We'll be coming by around there in an hour and a half. Have your bags packed. We're heading for Philly!'

Riley stares at the screen, a small smile forming. She bites her lip, putting her phone safely into her pocket. She looks at her bag, already packed from spending the weekend with her family. She looks at the rest of her room, only half hers, and not even really her at all.

She doesn't unpack her bag.


	5. Next Stop: Boston

"I'm exhausted," Riley exclaims, plopping down onto the hotel bed. She had been touring for a little over a month with Hart to Hart, and as much as she tried, she still couldn't get used to... all of it. She was always exhausted when she went to sleep, but she had to admit, she was happy with the choice she had made.

"Me too, cupcake." Comes Zay's voice as he falls down beside her on the left side of the bed. She and Zay had gotten close; he understood a lot of the issues she had. For one, missing Farkle. Zay had a best friend down in Texas who he was also missing. And then there was the whole Maya thing that wasn't even a thing. 

Riley props herself up with one elbow, getting a better look at Zay beside her. "What do I do?"

Zay sits up, leaning against the wall. He scrunches up his face in thought and let's out a sigh. "For once I actually don't know what you should do."

"I want to tell her," Riley says after a moment and Zay quirks an eyebrow. "I know. But I don't want to ruin our friendship and I don't want her to think the only reason I came with you guys is because of it."

"Maya has a good heart," Zay says, lacing his fingers with Riley's free hand. "She'll understand, even if she doesn't feel the same way."

"But I want her to feel the same way." Riley says, and her voice becomes quavery, her eyes water. 

"You know what, let's not think about that right now," Zay says, getting up and going over to the phone hanging on the wall. "We just had a great day, let's order some ice cream sundaes and watch The Notebook."

Riley doesn't protest to that, even allowing Zay to dim the lights. They snuggle up together, not even two minutes into the movie when the door to the hotel room opens and enters Maya. She gives them a look, the side of her lips quirking up. "Somebody is getting cozy."

"We're not- I don't like- I mean-" Riley stammers, scooting slightly away from the older boy.

Maya rolls her eyes, crawling underneath the covers. She interrupts, "Honey, it's alright. Everyone knows Zay is in love with some mysterious brunette from Texas, anyways."

Neither girl can see because of the dark, but a slight hue of pink marks Zay's cheeks. It's true, but only Riley knows exactly how true that is. They're all settled into the movie when there's another knock; room service wheels a cart, giving them each a bowl filled with ice cream, hot fudge and peanuts, and a cherry on top.

Riley looks at Maya and Zay with curiosity. Maya and Smackle had been hanging out in the lobby, so how come Zay had ordered an extra ice cream sundae? She can't help but wonder if he planned this.

Her suspicions are all but confirmed when halfway through the movie Zay says he's going to go to sleep, heading to room opposite them. This sudden absence causes Maya to move closer and Riley can feel her heart speed up. Fortunately for her, Maya can't tell anything is off... 

This is going to be a long night, Riley thinks to herself

\---

Riley blinks drearily, looking around the room; memories from the night before, of ice cream sundaes and The Notebook and her and Maya giggling about random things at two in the morning, come flooding back to her. Nothing had happened, but oh how Riley wishes she would have just come out and said it.

Instead, they had fallen asleep, their limbs a tangled mess. Riley watches as Maya sleeps, her chest rising and falling slowly, and Riley sighs, pulling herself out of the mess - the physical mess that was their shared but, not the actual mess that was her life.

She brushes her teeth, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She had every opportunity, and now this secret was just nagging at her. She sits on the bed next to Maya, who is still asleep. She brushes the blonde's hair behind her ears, smiling fondly.

"I have something to tell you." Riley says softly, biting her lip. She wouldn't be able to say this to Maya's face, at least not with Maya listening. But maybe she would feel better just telling Maya like this. "I really like you. You're a great friend, and I've never been his close to anyone but... I like you as more than a friend."

Riley beards her breath, but Maya doesn't move. Riley let's it out. She gets up, heading to the room next door, and knocks. Zay and Smackle are up already, so she joins them in listening to morning radio shows and eating breakfast; it seemed kind of lame but this was kind of a tradition now.

It's about ten minutes later when Maya joins them, looking grumpy. "How come nobody decided to wake me up?"

Zay smirks, tossing an apple at Maya. "Heaven knows you need your beauty sleep."

"I think Maya looks beautiful even when she's only had two hours of sleep." Smackle says, and Riley silently agrees over her bowl of cereal. With everything she could have to eat, her favorite thing for breakfast was still CoCo Pebbles.

Maya narrows her eyes at Zay but then turns to Smackle, a smile illuminating her face. "Thanks, darling. So where are we headed to next?" Maya asks, biting into her apple.

"Boston, Massachusetts!" Smackle informs.

Boston, Riley thinks. It had been a while since she had seen her best friend, but now it was just a day away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more of a filler chapter, but I promise there is something better coming really soon ;)


	6. Truth Or Dare

Riley runs off the bus, flinging her arms around the best friend she hadn't seen in what felt like forever. He does the same, squeezing her tightly to him. She allows him to spin her around, her feet in the air. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too, Riles." He breathes into her neck, setting her back down gently. The others look in for a moment before Riley turns to them, lacing her fingers with Farkle's.

"Guys, this is Farkle. Farkle, this is Maya, Zay, and Smackle." She says, pointing a red fingernail at each of the band members, respectively. He gives them all a small smile and a wave. 

"So you're the famous Farkle," Maya says, slinging an arm around the new comer as if she had known him for years; she ducks her head down to where only he can hear and smirks, "yYoure gonna tell me all the embarrassing stories you have on Riley."

Farkle laughs, "Sure, Riley has plenty of those."

Riley gives them both puppy dog eyes, crossing her arms. "Do not."

"Remember that time you had a crush on Jude and you tried to-" Farkle doesn't get to finish his sentence due to Riley coming up and pressing a hand to his mouth. She smiles sarcastically at Maya, who looks quite amused at both of them.

"Okay, that's enough of that for right now," she says, leading Farkle to the entrance of their hotel. "Why don't we get something to eat. Then we can go hangout at the pool."

\---

"We should play truth or dare," Zay offers; it was getting close to 11 and they had just gotten out of the pool. Now all six of them were scattered around the hotel room that would be housing the girls. Zay and Farkle had their own room to themselves.

"Oh yeah, like we want to open up that can of worms..." Maya mutters, mind flashing back to the previous times they had played that game. Even Smackle knew that it never ended well.

"I think it sounds like fun," Farkle counters, "I don't really know you guys, so it would be a good way to get to know you."

"Okay, you go first then." Riley says, turning to Farkle. At this point they had all gathered on the hotel room floor, forming a circle. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth," Farkle says, his eyes gleaming at her as if he knew something she didn't. She smirks back at him.

"Is it true that you haven't taken your eyes off of Smackle since you met her earlier?" Riley asks. Maya quirks an eyebrow, looking between the two, who are both getting very red.

"Uh," Farkle falters then shrugs. "Yes, it's true."

"I had wondered where you two snuck off to," Zay says, "You were gone much too long to be just 'getting snacks'."

"Okay, okay!" Farkle says, but he's laughing, so they know he's not really too annoyed with Riley's choice of question. "Hm... Maya, truth or dare?"

"I'm not scared of you," she says, locking eyes with him. "Dare."

Farkle pretends to think for a moment, resting his hand on his chin and narrowing his eyes. "I dare you to... kiss... Riley."

There's a sudden tension in the air; Riley can feel her heart beating in the back of her throat. Zay is looking at Farkle like he wants to start a fight or something, but he doesn't. Smackle glances between Riley and Maya, then looks at Farkle. Maya, however, had been the only one to not sense the feeling in the air. Riley was glad for that.

"You're so lame," Maya says, turning to Riley. "I don't get the big deal of guys wanting see two girls kiss."

Riley bites her lip, watching as Maya brushes strands of brown hair behind her ear. Their eyes meet and Maya smiles assuringly, slowly leaning in. If Riley wanted to bolt, wanted to say something, do something, now was her chance. But she couldn't; she was frozen in the spot. Their lips met and Riley's eyes flutter closed, her hands resting on Maya's shoulders.

The kiss hadn't lasted for more than five seconds, but Riley wanted it to last longer. Except, Maya didn't feel that way and they were in a group full of people and Riley really just needed a drink of water. She says as much and goes to get a cup, then heads to the bathroom, filling it up in the sink. She can hear Maya talking outside the door.

"Farkle," she hears Maya's voice, louder than the others. Maya was always loud. Not necessarily in your face, but she had a natural way of drawing people to her. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Is Smackle a good kisser?"

"I don't know, is Riley?"

If the game is still going, Riley can't tell. She doesn't hear anything after that. She can feel her eyes well up with tears. She opens the bottom drawer, pulling out a wash cloth and getting it damp. She wipes her face, trying to calm herself down, but she feels so stupid. She shouldn't have told anyone. 

She's thankful Zay had been kind enough to keep her secret, but she doesn't understand why Farkle would just... exploit her like this. Once she figures she's calm enough to go back out, she takes her place in the circle. 

"Riley!" Smackle says, everyone's attention diverting to her. "Truth or dare."

Riley weighs her options; none of them seem good. She decides, "Truth."

"Tells us how you and Farkle met."

Riley let's out a breath she didn't know she had been holding and silently thanks whatever God is watching her for Isadora Smackle

\---

"I had fun today," Maya says softly. The room is dark and Smackle is asleep, but neither Riley or Maya could fall asleep. 

"Me too," Riley says. Things between them were a little awkward now, at least on Riley's part, but they were still best friends. She and Farkle had been through a lot worse and had come out stronger than ever. There was no reason for one kiss to change anything.

"Your friend Farkle is pretty... interesting. He is really smart, like you said," Maya continues, "And he cares about you more than you think."

But he used my secrets against me, Riley wants to counter. But she can't, so she doesn't. "I know."

Maya bites her lip, wrapping her arms around Riley and pulling her closer. Riley sighs, closing her eyes, allowing herself to enjoy the comfort of a friend. 

"I know what's going on," Maya says softly, minutes later, once she hears Riley's breathing slow down, indicating she's falling into slumber. "And it's okay. I like you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can we say drama? also spoiler: this next chapter will kill you, maybe.


	7. Keep It A Secret

Riley puts the finishing touches on her mascara and lip gloss, thinking about the day ahead of her. An interview with the band, some time to catch up with Farkle, and then the concert. It was going to be a long day, but Riley was glad for that. Hopefully it would put the night before out of everyone's head.

She joins the band in the room where they would be waiting; they still has another half hour before their interview started, so they were all sitting around the screen, watching the show that was going on before them. It was mostly demonstrations on products the show was advertising, and interaction win the audience about recent events.

"You know," Zay says, the only one not done primping - all he had to do was his hair, and yet, it took him longer than any of the three girls to 'find his perfection,' as he called it, "I don't see what's so entertaining about watching a bunch of people give their opinions of things that don't even affect them.

Maya ponders for a moment, then gets up stands beside him at the mirror. "Everybody wants to feel like they matter, even if they don't."

"Well, I do," Zay says, turning to her and smirking. She rolls her eyes, about to say something when the door opens, entering a brunette woman dressed in slacks and a blazer. Maya gives him a look, as if to say, you win this round.

"You're on in five," the girl say. Maya gives her a thumbs up and they all make their way to the stage door. This would be Riley's third interview, and yet, she was still nervous as heck. She could get used to the music and the hotel rooms and the traveling, but she doesn't know if she'll ever get used to the hordes of fans and the interviews in front of thousands of people.

The interview starts and it's going pretty great; they're fielding questions about the tour, the concert that night, about their relationship with the fans, and upcoming music. Then, the question that all celebrities hated.

"So rumor has it that there's a little band member romance going on?" The host, a man in his mid thirties to late forties, with short black hair and dark brown eyes, asks.

Zay, always the funny one, puts his arm around Maya with a sly smile. "It may seem like there is something between us, but I can assure you that Maya and I are just friends."

Maya hits him playfully on the shoulder and interviewer gives them a look. "Actually, your fans seem to think that Maya and Riley are hiding a secret relationship."

Riley can feel the color drain from her face. The night before had been put behind them, but this... this was definitely worse. Riley couldn't speak, she couldn't think. She looks at Maya expectantly. Maya was always cool and collected, but Riley could detect a hint of an unknown emotion passing across her face.

"Riley and I have an extraordinary relationship," Maya says carefully. Riley can feel everyone looking at them, as if it wasn't obvious before. And now Maya would be fueling rumors about them. Only God knows what Maya could possibly mean by 'extraordinary relationship.'

It was true that they were close, closer than any of the band members, and even closer than most friends. But they needed each other in a way that was different than most friends needed each other. 

"So you two aren't dating?" The man asks, for clarification. 

"No, we're not dating," She senses that Maya wants to add to that, but she doesn't.

"Alright then, that's all we have for today folks! Up next we have..."

\---

"Are we not going to talk about any of this?" Farkle asks, his elbows resting on his knees. "Whatever this is."

"I don't know what this is," Riley says. They had been in the middle of playing a board game when Farkle had interrupted her move. She moves the pawn three spaces, carefully avoiding Farkle's gaze, then selects a card.

"That's why we should talk about this." Farkle says, rolling the dice.

"That's why we shouldn't. Because I don't know if I can trust you anymore." Riley finally looks up, meeting Farkle's eyes. Her expression softens, and she lets out a sigh.

"I was only trying to help you," Farkle says, reaching out to one of Riley's hands in his own. She had laced her fingers together, a common habit to combat her anxieties. But holding Farkle's hand - or anyone's hand that she was close enough to feel safe with, always made her calm down.

"I know," she bites her lips, watching as Farkle moves his pawn across the spaces. She wanted to talk about it, really, but she had had enough to deal with, with the past two days. She didn't know how the world could be so unfair to her, but it was.

"Riley," Farkle says, and just like Maya had, he looks like he wants to say more. But he doesn't.---

"I like Maya," Riley shrugs, "and she doesn't like me. There's nothing to talk about."

"But you don't know that," Farkle counters. Their game had ceased. Farkle moves to wrap an arm around Riley, who rests her head on his shoulder.

"Can we talk about something else?" Riley asks. "How is school?"

"Difficult," Farkle says, sighing, but then he perks up, "But I love it. There's so much to learn, and people there actually seem to like me."

Riley let's herself relax, listening to Farkle ramble on about school and the people he had met, the things he had done. He even mentions a conversation he had had with Smackle, and Riley smiles fondly.

This had been one of the few moments her mind was taken off of the band and Maya and her feelings for Maya; she wanted to enjoy it, wanted to enjoy Farkle's presence as long as she had it.

\---

"You're looking beautiful tonight, Boston!" Maya's words echo across the cram-AP led stadium, eliciting a roar from the crowd. Smackle was tearing it up on the guitar, the background music to Maya's monologue. It differed from state to state, but it always came from the heart. 

"My girl, Riley, here has a special place in her heart for Boston," Maya says, sling her arm around Riley's shoulders. She's too amped up on adrenaline to care. "You see, Boston is now home to a very special friend. Everybody say hello to Farkle."

The crowd cheers and Riley glances at the left wing, where Farkle was watching from back stage. Maya continues her speech about how much she loves the fans and the music, and how Boston has truly been spectacular and she can't wait to play for them. And then the first song starts.

Riley had started off just singing backup vocals, but a few concerts in, Maya had told her they would make this a kind of duet. It was great, and they always had fun with it. Even during the romantic songs, which there were plenty of, they danced around and goofed off. Occasionally they would take a moment to get serious, but all in all, their shows were wild. 

As the last song approaches, Maya gestures for the music volume to be lowered. The stadium gets quiet, and Riley looks at Maya, confused. They had never done this before; Riley had never seen the crowd so curiously enthralled, never heard a stadium this packed so eerily silent.

Riley glances to the wing where Farkle is, and he smiles, giving her a look as if he knows something she doesn't. Farkle was a genius, so he probably did. Which kind of scares Riley, if she really thought about it too much. 

Zay brings out a stool and Maya grabs Riley's hand, leading her to it and gently pushing her down onto it. She smiles at Riley, then turns to the audience. She takes a breath, then speaks. "A lot of you seem to think there's something more between me and Riley." 

"And there is," Maya says, glancing at Riley, whose eyes widen at Maya's statement. "We can both feel it, but neither of us has said anything. But right here, right now, on this stage, I just want to say... I like you, Riley Matthews."

Smackle strums the strings on her guitar, launching into a song that Riley was unfamiliar with; it didn't sound like anything off of any of the albums, but at this point, nothing was going to surprise Riley.

"And I would stop trying to fall in love again, and keep it a secret," Maya's voice drifts across the stadium, like honey; pure and golden. Riley can see the emotions in Maya's eyes, can hear it in her voice; she was putting her heart on the line tonight. They both would be, if Riley knew anything about their dynamic.

The song continues, Maya moving away from Riley. The stadium gets darker, darker than it was, and the lights on stage get dim, too. Riley feels her heart beat racing, watching Maya own the stage. The song slows down, then comes to an end, Maya coming back to Riley just as the last note sounds out.

"I know this is crazy, but so are we," Maya says, laughing breathily. She takes Riley's hand in hers, biting her lip as she sinks to be on Riley's level. Their eyes meet and Riley doesn't know what Maya is going to do, and she doesn't know what to do, herself. "It feels like I've known you forever, and I wish I had. But we know each other now. And I really care about you."

Riley looks away momentarily, but then her eyes deceive her heart and she's staring at Maya again.

"I know life is difficult, but with you in it, it seems so much easier," Maya continues. They had planned their final song for this portion, but Riley suspects that they won't be getting to it tonight. She also suspects that no one will care too much about that.

"And I you want you to be in it for as long as possible, but as more than just the best friend anyone could ever have," Riley had been expecting something like that, but her breath still catches in her throat. "Riley, will you be my girlfriend?"


	8. First Date

Riley had said yes. Of course Riley had said yes; what was she supposed to do, turn down the girl who had opened her up in a way she didn't know was possible? She said yes, and now there they were, backs pressed into the hotel mattress, fingers laced together, staring up at the ceiling as if it's painful to look at each other.

"I can't believe you said yes," Maya breathes, as if reading Riley's mind. Riley turns her head to the side, looking at the beautiful blonde and she smiles when Maya's eyes meet her own.

"What was I supposed to say?" Riley's thoughts tumble out. Maya shrugs.

"So what do we do now?" Maya asks, her voice hesitant, as if she's scared. Riley knows the feeling. She bites her lip, pushing a lock of Maya's hair behind her ear.

"I guess we go on a date," Riley says, sitting up. "A real date. Out in the open."

"But what about paparazzi?" Maya counters, scooting up the bed, sitting upright against the wall. 

"You're used to it by now," Riley laughs.

"Maybe, but you aren't. And just because I'm used to it, doesn't mean I have to let them control my life." Maya says sternly.

Riley scrunches her nurse up, staring at Maya with intent. "Are you scared?"

Maya doesn't say anything. She looks down, lacing her fingers together. It was a habit she had picked up from Riley. Riley sighs, moving to sit beside her, taking her hand. Neither says anything for a while.

"What if we did the wrong thing?" Maya's eyes are glossy, but she's not going not cry, she's not. 

"Maya," Riley's voice is soft. "We've taken this long. It's taken both of us this long, and we're finally here. Don't let your doubts keep you from happiness."

Maya nods, rubbing her thumb over Riley's palm. "You're right."

\---

It's nearly a week and a half later before they can go on a proper date, what with touring and meeting fans and all. The fan reaction to Maya asking Riley out went insane. Most of it was positive, and there were a lot of people commenting about it, saying they knew it was going to happen. There were also a lot of people saying they couldn't tell who was cuter, Maya and Riley or Smackle and Farkle.

The funniest thing to Riley is how a lot of the fans now are wondering when Zay is going to get a girlfriend. These same fans were the ones who had said they saw Rilaya, as they affectionately referred to the couple as, coming a mile a way. They were in for a surprise when, or should she say if, Zay ever came out.

The night if their date, they change in separate hotel rooms. Smackle is helping Maya get ready, and Zay waits for Riley outside the bathroom, flipping through a magazine. "So where exactly are you two going? There's definitely not going to be much privacy."

"Maya's mom owns a restaurant chain, and she has a friend who works at the chain in Atlanta." Riley says, stepping out of the bathroom. She had curled her hair and done her makeup to match the slim-fit purple dress she had chosen to wear. She felt tall in a pair of black heels. "She's shutting the place down for a couple hours."

"That's so romantic," Zay sighs, and Riley steps over, pressing a hand to his cheek. He looks up at her, smiling fondly. "You know, I haven't known you long, but you're like the sister I never had."

Riley returns the smile, reaching out a hand. He takes it, allowing her to pull him up to stand. "Thank you, Zay. You really helped me with all of this. I just wish there was a way I could help you." 

"Maybe you can," Zay says. At the look she gives him, he continues. "We have a stop in Texas in a couple of weeks. I was wanting to talk to Lucas about how I felt. I don't expect him to feel the same, but at least my feelings would be out there."

"Zay," Riley says, in a voice she had reserved for family. But now Zay, and Smackle, and Maya, they were her family. "I'm so proud of you."

"If you and Maya can be happy, why can't I?" Zay says optimistically. Riley pulls him into a hug, and they linger for a moment before Riley pulls away.

"I really should go, we have to leave in ten minutes." Riley says, and Zay nods.

"Have fun."

Riley let's the door close behind her, knocking on the door to the room beside her. Smackle is the one to open the door. "Close your eyes, and come in."

Riley does as she says, fumbling into the room. She had never been very graceful with her eyes open; walking with her eyes closed made her feel like a newborn deer.

"Okay, you can both open your eyes in three... Two... Now." Smackle counts down, and they open their eyes when she says now. Riley gives Maya a once over, smiling from ear to ear.

"You look like royalty," Maya compliments, although Riley thinks Maya is the one that looks like a queen. Her long blond locks had been put into a very elegant braid. She was wearing a red dress with a heart neckline that went down to her knees, and her eyes were dusted in gold. 

"You look... saucy."' Riley says, thinking of how Farkle would describe her. She wished he could be here, wished her parents could be here, to witness one of the most important moments of her life. A real first date. With a girl, no less. She felt so brace and yet, so vulnerable.

"Ironic phrasing," Maya laughs, and Riley quirks an eyebrow. Maya bites her lip. "You'll see."

\---

Riley does see. Maya not only took her to the restaurant, she had cooked most of the food in front of them using the ingredients in the restaurants kitchen. When she had the time, Riley didn't know. But it was delicious none the less. And it was, as Zay had said, very romantic.

But nothing much had changed. They still talked like they had before. They were still best friends, after all. The biggest change that Riley could see was just that, now, they were holding hands and kissing as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Which it was, now, 

"You really went all out," Riley says around a biteful of spaghetti. Riley had seen their designated waiter for the night bringing it out, and she laughed at the saucy comment she had made earlier.

"I thought we both deserved it," Maya shrugs. The conversation continues, and isn't interrupted until nearly an hour later when the waiter brings out a a medium-sized round chocolate cake with a whole in the middle. He sets it on the table, and Riley gapes. Maya grins. "I knew you loved chocolate."

"Maya, you're too much." Riley says, using a fork to dig into the cake.

"Just wait until you see what I have planned after this." Maya comments, following Riley's lead.

"There's more?" Riley looks incredulous. "I'm definitely planning our second date."

"Wouldn't this technically be our second date?" Maya recalls to memory the finger painting they had done together. It certainly felt like a date to her.

"Unofficially," Riley follows her train of thought, shrugging. 

"Anyways," Maya stands up, reaching out a hand to pull Riley up. Suddenly, the already dull lights get dimmer, so that the only thing Riley can see is whatever is in front of her, which would be Maya at the moment. She follows carefully. She hadn't seen it before, but part of the restaurant was emptied of chairs and tables.

Maya stops, turning to face Riley. Riley raises an eyebrow, letting Maya guide her hands, one on Maya's waist, the other on her shoulder. Maya places her hands in the same position, and a familiar tune begins to play. 

"How'd you know this is my favorite song?" Riley asks with an adoring smile.

"I looked at your music library and saw what was the top played track," Maya admits.

Riley shakes her head, letting out a sigh. She leans forward, resting her head on Maya's shoulder; it fits perfectly into the crock of her neck. Almost as if they were made for each other. And with the light of the stars and the moon and the smell of Maya's perfume comfortingly caressing her, she kind of thinks they are.


	9. Texas

"Texas." Zay steps off the tour bus, the heel of his boots sinking into the soft mud. It had rained recently, and the morning dew was still shining on the grass. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, inhaling the fresh, crisp scent of nature. 

Riley follows, along with Maya and Smackle. They had been invited to stay with Lucas, Zay's best friend from Texas, and that's where they had stopped first thing when arriving to Austin. Lucas waves from the porch, and Zay smiles, waving not back. Riley places a gently hand on Zay's should. "You gonna be okay?"

"I'll be fine," Zay nods, leading the way. 

Lucas stands, shaking each girl's hands firmly. "I'm Lucas Friar. But I'm sure you all already knew that."

"I'm Riley."

"Maya."

"Isadora Smackle."

"All very lovely names," he says with a smile, stepping aside to let them into the house. Which, house was an overestimation. It was more of a cabin. But it was nice. 

"So you said you wanted to show us something?" Zay says, raising an eyebrow and crossing his arms expectantly. 

"Tonight," Lucas nods. "Right now I was thinking I could show these here city slickers what it's like to rough it on the farm."

"Dude," Zay says, reaching out touch Lucas' should. He shakes his head in faux disappointment. "Cut the overdone accent and phony southern words."

"Sorry," Lucas laughs. "Anyways, what I meant was that maybe we could go down the trail on horseback. It's not too awful hard to ride, even if you're a beginner."

Lucas let's them each pick out their own horse. Riley chooses a cream one with chestnut hair named Honey. Maya chooses a dark black horse with white hair, Calamity. Isadora decides to just ride with Zay, who chooses his favorite, the one he always picked, one with a burnt umber hide and black hair named... Babineaux.

"Really?" Maya says, rolling her eyes as she hops up on to the horse. 

Zay shrugs. "Lucas said I could name him whatever I wanted."

"What's yours named, huckleberry?" Maya asks, eyeing the spotted horse. 

"Lucky," Lucas says, patting the horses side lovingly.

"Ah, c'mon." Maya says, feigning exasperation. "How much more cliche could you get?"

"Well, we have a horse named black beauty we let roam the fields. Bit of a wild one." Lucas offers, tipping his cowboy hat. Maya narrows her eyes, tugging the reigns so that the horse begins in a slow trot, following Lucas' horse. Riley comes in behind her, then Smackle and Zay bring up the rear. It's safer that way, Lucas and Zay had agreed, sandwiching the two inexperienced riders in the middle.

They follow the trail for about half an hour, Lucas telling them all about his life on the way.

"I'm sure it's not much different from his you grew up," Lucas begins. "although we couldn't be any more different now. Zay and I grew up together on this farm, went to school, did everything. We learned a lot, especially about love. You'll never know true love until you give birth to a horse."

"Are we still on that?" Zay asks. "He uses this story to impress girls. Although, I thought he knew you two were dating, and that Smackle has a boyfriend."

"It was a defining moment in my life," Lucas counters. "Its what made me want to become a vet."

"Aww," Smackle and Riley coo at the same time.

"That's adorable," Riley comments, and Lucas raised his eyebrows at his best friend.

"See," Zay says. Lucas rolls his eyes, tugging on the reins to pull the horse to a halt. He jumps off, then helps Riley off while Zay helps Maya and Smackle.

"It is really beautiful out here," Smackle says, smiling softly. She takes a seat by the river bank, taking off her shoes to dip her toes in the water.

Maya nods her agreement. "Yeah Riles, we could just keep going and never look back."

"It looks like something you would paint," Riley remarks, taking a seat next to Smackle. 

Maya laughs softly. "Hey Luke, I wanna steal your friend here for a minute."

Zay looks at her curiously, but Lucas shrugs. "Go ahead."

They begin to walk farther down the trail, five minutes pass, six minutes, all the while Zay wondering what this is all about. Finally Maya stops, taking a seat against a tree. Zay sits against one opposite her, a questioning look still on his face. 

"So ya gonna tell him or what?" Maya looks completely unphased.

"What?" Zay asks after a moment.

"That you're in love with him," Maya clarifies, although they both knew.

"Riley told you?" Zay shoots an accusatory glance in the general direction of the others.

"Nobody had to tell me," she says, standing up. She shakes her head, sighing as she leans a hand against one of the other trees. "Trust me, I know what it feels like. And I know it's scary. But at least you have the comfort of privacy. I had no choice in keeping this private. Not if I really wanted it to work."

"You kind of did," Zay argues, but doesn't say anything else. He starts to head back and Maya follows.

"Look, I'm sorry if I overstepped my boundaries." Maya apologizes. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to."

"I know," Zay says. It's quiet until they find the group, Lucas sitting in between the two girls, laughing and smiling and genuinely enjoying their company. He sees Zay and his smile softens. And Zay knows that he's totally done for.

\---

"A honkytonk bar?" Riley and Maya ask simultaneously, observing their surroundings. Tables of people dressed in plaid and cowboy boots, western music drifting grouch the air all with bits and pieces of conversation. An aroma of scents entice them, like a hand reaching out to pull them in.

"I think this place seems funny," Smackle comments, turning to look at Lucas.

"Thanks Smackle." Lucas says appreciatively, motions for them to follow him, taking a seat in his usual spot. Normally it was only room enough for two if he had a date, or three if he had come here with friends, but tonight he had arranged so they could all fit.

Immediately a plate of barbecue is brought out, piled high, along with a side of mashed potatoes, and a tray of corn. The food is good and he music is fun and they all dance and have a good time.

"You know, ranger Rick," Maya says, testing the nickname on her tongue. "We could use some of this choreography in our routines."

Lucas spins her once, then let's go, Riley catching her. Riley shakes her head furiously. "No way. I think we'd lose all of our fans."

"I was joking, honey," Maya says, brushing a hand through Riley's hair. They spin again, then Riley switches off so that Maya is with Smackle, she's with Zay, and Lucas is with some random girl that had joined the dance.

"Fancy seeing you here, sweetheart," Riley smiles at the nickname. She glances between her and Zay and then Lucas, a mischievous gleam coming to her eye. They spin once more and with the next switch off, Zay ends up with Lucas, Riley with Smackle, and Maya with the girl Lucas had been dancing with.

Zay looks at Lucas, feeling his hands start to sweat. "Sorry, Riley doesn't really understand..."

"It's alright, it's not like we haven't done this before," Lucas shrugs, spinning Zay once, then twice, then switches off.

They continue like this, Maya and Riley on an evil quest the entire time to get Zay to always, somehow, be the one who ends up with Lucas. If Lucas catches on, he doesn't say. Zay sincerely hopes he doesn't.

The music dies down, fading into another song. 

"I think we should call it a night," Lucas says, yanking a thumb towards the clock. It's later, they would all agree.

"Uh, Riles and I were just gonna go for a walk," Maya says, then grabs Smackle's hand. "Why don't you come with us? Just us girls."

Zay watches them leave, then turns to face Lucas. "Girls, am I right?"

"I don't really know them, but I have to admit, they were acting weird all night," Lucas says, slipping his hands into his pockets. They were just a mile or so up from the cabin. Riley and Maya and Smackle had gone the other way, and he would've been worried had it been any other town. But he was sure they could find their way, and besides, they have each other.

"There's a reason for that," Zay confesses. Lucas quirks an eyebrow. "You know that person back in Texas I keep talking about?"

"Vanessa," Lucas nods, giving Zay a knowing look. Zay bites his lip, shaking his head.

"Nah," he sighs. "Vanessa is great and all, but she's not the person I'm in love with."

Lucas just stares at him. Stares at him with those big brown eyes he had looked at him with in first grade, the first moment he knew he wanted to be important to Lucas, and he thought that he just wanted to be Lucas' friend, because everyone wanted to be Lucas' friend. But really, he wants to be so much more.

"I'm in love with you," Zay says plainly. He's a romantic, but he's exhausted with these emotions. He can't spill his heart out and have or broken. So those words were enough. They just had to be.

"What?" Lucas looks... scared. Vulnerable. And Zay doesn't understand, but then, he never really has. Lucas is a mystery to him. Behind that perfect facade, there had to be something... something.

"I know this'll come as a shock to you," Zay turns away. He's not sure how much longer he could have faced Lucas, quite literally and metaphorically. "But I have been for a while.

"I know," Lucas says, his voice flat. 

Zay doesn't look at him. "You did?"

"I guess I just tried to ignore it," Lucas admits. "I didn't want to hurt you."

"So you don't feel the same way," Zay clarifies what he already knew. Still, it felt nice to have all this off his shoulder, even if his chest felt tight

"I don't know," Lucas shrugs, kicking at a pile of rocks along the gravel road.

Zay nods, and neither talks. Neither knows what to say. Well, Lucas does, but he doesn't quite know if it's the truth, and he doesn't want to lead his best friend on. So he stays silent.

They're walking so slow, eventually the girls catch up with them. The laughter dies down as they fall in to step together. Somehow, everyone knows what was (and wasn't) said, and they walk silently back to the cabin.


End file.
